This week we look forward to the start of a new year, untouched, like a slate that is unmarked and clean, just waiting for us to paint our thoughts and impressions onto it. Many of us will start to compile a list of New Year resolutions….setting goals for 2006. For a lot of us, by the end of January many of those goals start to unravel, and we become discouraged, wondering why we should continue on the course that looked so bright at the beginning.

I think if we approach the New Year with a different perspective and keep a symbol or image in our minds it may be easier to stay focused and navigate the road ahead. I approach the New Year as a builder, a person who sees a piece of land, and the possibilities that can come forth. I look at the formulation of my goals, hopes, and dreams as a house….a beautiful shining building that by the end of the year I can be proud of. A builder needs tools, not just hammers and nails but Faith, encouragement, conviction and the belief that when you put your mind to it, anything is possible.

In January we start the foundation….we make sure it is strong and has the potential to hold what we place upon it. We make sure there are no cracks. Each proceeding month we add to our house….floor by floor we put in the plumbing, the electrical wiring, the heating system, etc. Sometimes we make mistakes, one room may not be wired right, so we go back, repair the damage and continue on. By the Spring, we see that our house is off the ground and rising. The contributions we have made to our house are beginning to show. People pass by and are amazed how “fast” the house is starting to come together….but little do they see the problems that we encountered to get to our level. So on we go, each day building brick by brick with the sky above us…..and with each brick a feeling of accomplishment comes over us and a better understanding of the mistakes we have made so that we try not to make them again. God looks down and sees a person trying to push forward with a house of meaning and purpose. A badly built house with a weak foundation won’t stand very long….but a good house can last forever. God understands how hard it is to built good houses.

By the Fall, our floors are completed, and we are about to add our roof. We want a roof that will not leak, that can take the elements. If we have done all our work and done it well, by the end of the year we will be standing in front of a house amazed that we were able to accomplish this once monumental task. We look at each brick and floor and see a story. We see the set-backs and the over comings. It is possible to build a good house, God willing, with the right tools, and determination…….All things are
possible.

Good Luck with your house,

love, Jennifer Avalon
© 2005 Jennifer Avalon

This time of year many of us will be attending Christmas, Holiday, and New Year parties. On more than one occasion we may be running into people we only meet once or twice a year. Almost always the first question that’s asked is, “What have you been doing?” or, “How are things going?” When we look around the room there could be quite a few people in various stages of development…so too are we.

Some grow throughout their lives in a smooth, even keel, while others evolve in spurts. A year could go by and when we look back nothing great in particular happened….then before too long something extraordinary leaps forward and takes us to the next level. Growth has an uncanny way of coming along when we least expect it. Inside our minds could be a roomful of treasure, just waiting to be unlocked. That key could come in the form of an experience, or just somebody uttering the word “Hello.” Each one us are unique….with our own perceptions and opinions on any given subject. Development comes many times to those who are open and patient. If life is truly a miracle, then each one of us, within our hands, can hold the gifts of Heaven. The miracle that we are has to be spread far and wide, for the good of mankind. That is our true responsibility. For when we pass on, the money and houses may wither, but the miracles will shine on.

As the world spins through space, we spin with it. Each morning brings forth an evening, over and over again. As our planet evolves, so too do we, never forgetting, without miracles, neither the planet nor us could exist. So if you would like to give someone a far-out answer to the question, “How are you doing?” you could answer, “I’m continuing my journey through time and space, that one day will take me home.” You just may see a jaw drop, but that’s really what is happening. We’re all in various stages of development…..

Shine on,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2005 Jennifer Avalon

As we approach the Holiday Season this year the door opens on a cascade of advertising bombardment where multiple companies compete for our buying power resources. Every December brings with it the list of the “must have” toys, presents, and gadgets. This reached the ultimate frenzy a few years back with the Cabbage Patch Kids phenomenon. People would fly…I kid you not…to other countries to devour these rare dolls. This year it’s looking like Microsoft’s new “X-Box” is the “must have” present under the tree. Unfortunately, we have already been informed, surprise surprise, that there will be a severe shortage of X-Boxes to satisfy the hungry customer….can you say “up goes the price?” The X-Box truly is a wonderful, innovative addition to any home….but let’s all just keep it in perspective. Has the sound of Ho Ho Ho gradually turned into Buy Buy Buy?

This past year we have had more than enough struggles and disasters to handle on a worldwide scale. Have we found that the distraction of shopping is the ultimate diversion? Perhaps so….but we must never forget the joy of Love and Peace and it’s priceless qualities. The Christmas Season, we must not forget, is not only the celebration of the Birth of Christ, but also the embracing of Peace on Earth, and Brotherhood of Mankind. As much as our brains take in the glitz and glamour of the Holidays, the true treasure can only be experienced through our hearts. The family, our friends and loved ones…what more could we give them than a kiss, a hug, or a smile. No one wants to be called a Grinch….but the memories around the dinner table can last for many years. Each year at the table there are always additions and unfortunately, someone who is missing. As we pass the food and the beverages, in the back of our minds we always ask the question, “How many of us will still be here this time next year?”

The celebration of the season ultimately comes down to us. The trick is to find the balance between the presents and the heart, and, whenever possible, making the two meet. As time is fleeting, the mistake we can make is taking it all for granted. If the world is one great hotel that we all visit, let’s try as much as possible to have an insightful time, while not forgetting that one day it’s time to go back home. I often try to plan the weeks around the Holidays to get a better grip on what I need to do and where I want to go. As always, things don’t go according to plan every time, but overall things do pan out much more smoothly than having no plan at all. We are not perfect…we make mistakes…but the gist is to become better people. The wheel rolls ’round each year….still we try as best we can to not get caught in the spokes.

With all the hustle and bustle, take care of yourself out there. There is always something new to see, and somewhere familiar to go. Enjoy, embrace, and experience the life and the love around you.

Be of Good Cheer,
love, Jennifer Avalon

© 2005 Jennifer Avalon

It’s quite extraordinary how, when we repeat tasks, they become easier. What was once feared, over time can be looked back upon as simple and easy. Once one crosses the threshold of fear, a sense of peace and calm can take hold. When I was a kid in gym class I had a fear of doing a tumble toss…you know, where you place your hands on the ground and roll over forwards. Well, I had an extreme fear of performing this exercise, until one day the gym teacher said to me, “Jennifer, come here, let me show you how easy this is.” The teacher slowed the process down so that my mind could incorporate the task, without fear. I rolled over once, then twice, then three times. Afterwards, I laughed. I could not believe why I was so fearful of this exercise. I understood that my fear had convinced me that I couldn’t do it, when with a little encouragement and support it was performed quite easily.

The other side of repetition is a sad example. Down the street from where I live is a neighbor who has an extreme case of OCD (obsessive/compulsive disorder) I have observed at times the lady locking her front door and checking it for 15 minutes, to make sure it was locked. I ran into her at the local supermarket and the OCD also affected how she bought her groceries. She had to check each item she picked up numerous times before she purchased it. OCD is more common than we may think. I was once on line at a store and in front of me was a man who had to count his money ten times before he would give it to the cashier. It got so bad that the cashier finally said, “You can count it as many times as you want, but I’m also going to count it.” This kind of repetition, I believe, is fear that is not overcome.

We can never forget that we are all, in one form or another, creatures of habit. What we choose to enter into our lives can easily become tasks that are carried out over and over again. It could be work, play, food, or leisure….once the formula of repetition is applied, these tasks can mysteriously turn into friend or foe. Prayer and meditation are a wonderful form of self-examination to enhance what is good, and weed out what is false. Peace of mind can be attained when prayer, purpose, and silence take hold.

Many people around the world use prayer, chanting, and different forms of meditation as a way to still the mind, and center the consciousness. When we stop and take hold of the moment, it is much easier to choose the next step. Repetition is grand, when the tasks are beneficial and sound…but destructive if it disorients and confuses the mind. From the words of a George Harrison song, “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.”

Walk peacefully,
Jennifer Avalon
© 2005 Jennifer Avalon

When I was a child, I was always told that the world is a wonderful place, and that there are only a few bad apples out there wreaking havoc upon the masses. Good prevailed over Evil, and when something went wrong, it was only a way for us to learn and improve our lives. While that may be true, one day I asked myself, “If there are so many good people walking around, how come the world for so long has been such a mess?” All a person has to do is open the Bible, and over and over again there are scriptures telling us about the landscape in which we live. I am not one who takes kindly to refuge in falsehood…I do believe the Truth does set you free.

So let’s take a look under the microscope of the world around us….why do so many become puzzled and confused about the sights and sounds that engulf their daily lives? As Jesus is known to have said, “I am sending you off as lambs among wolves.” For if we are pure of heart, with good intentions, we are lambs…but lambs can learn to watch for wolves in sheep’s clothing. So what is it? A Good world, with a few taints of Evil? or, an Evil world, where Good must overcome? It can’t be both. When I was younger, I was oh so willing to believe that goodness was fully in control. Yet, each year I become less convinced. Why, you may ask? Well what can be said of a world that in the past 100 years has invented it’s own destruction, embraced promiscuity, practiced genocide, and now, in it’s wisdom, is starting down the road of gene-splicing human beings with animals? So if you’re feeling depressed, or confused about the way of life today, you’re not crazy…..

Hey, enough of the doom and gloom! What can we do to make things a little better and more tolerable? Well for one, we must see things as they are. The day is born Evil, and it is up to us to put our stamp upon it and make it Good. For if Evil is a coward, the Light of Good will make it scour and wilt in it’s glow. The only weapon that Evil has over us is deception, fear, and cover-up. We can’t correct what we don’t see. I recently heard a lecture where a man stated that all that mankind wants is sex, drugs, and riches. He went on to say that many people believe that if they can obtain those three things, their problems will disappear and everything will be nirvana. Yes, we all have to pay our bills, but what’s so funny about Love, Peace and Understanding? Governments all over the world, for many years, have believed that if you throw handfuls of money at a problem, it will disappear….then later we learn how corruption takes hold of that money and the needy never get it. Mankind can truly do heroic deeds, yet why is it so easy for man to swim in a cesspool of manipulation?

I would do all of you a disservice if all I do is talk about the positive and not try to shine a light on what is wrong. How can we correct the mistakes if we refuse to examine them? You’re right…..I, like many, are concerned where we are going, and what the future may hold, but I also have hope that the ship of humanity can be steered to a port of pure water. That can only happen if we see things for what they truly are. I am not crazy, you’re not crazy…we just care.

Keep the candle burning,

love, Jennifer Avalon
© 2005 Jennifer Avalon

A dream is like a running locomotive that barrels along the tracks to a station in infinity. That train keeps right on rolling and only we decide if we hit the brakes. All trains have a starting point….could be last year, yesterday, or today. We load up our train, yell “All Aboard!”, and off we go!! The Dream Train crosses all kinds of terrain, and battles many shades of weather. The Dream Train is our vehicle for us to carry our hopes, ambitions and plans.

In the beginning, as the dream percolates in our minds, we face a train stationery on the platform of life. We stare it down, imagine the possibilities, and determine with this locomotive….can the dream become reality? In our hands we hold a clipboard with a list of passengers we would like to have on our train…as each one boards, we check off on the list that they are accounted for. The passenger’s bags are loaded in the cargo car. We are fully aware that in life it is impossible to know everything…but with a little help from each individual passenger on our train, we may be able to avoid detours to nowhere.

As the train pulls out of the station, the wheels grind and the whistles blow…excitement fills the air! Each passenger looks at each other with both fear and excitement etched across their faces. This is a journey of a dream, where miracles can and do happen. We pull out of the station, pick up speed, and head off into the wilderness. Like all trips, we can be sure that we will make stops along the way to pick up and let off more passengers. Some will be around for the complete journey, while others may decide after one or two stops that they want to get off this Dream Machine. After each stop, we press on through both day and night, while many watch in wonder. As the train crosses the country, it gives hope to those who too want to have their own Dream Train. Through each intersection, and with each passing mile, people wave and cheer as the Dream Train barrels along into the future.

Each dream has a sight and a sound…so too does the Dream Train. Nothing can erase despair like the sound of an approaching locomotive that signals All Things are Possible. The Dream Train is timeless….it is where both young and old can sit together…where black and white can embrace the Power of the Thought. Each life has its share of mountains, valleys, rivers, and tunnels….as long as there are tracks in front of us, the Dream Train can weather it all. We all know that there is a station waiting for us, where our Dream Train waits for us to board. All it takes is a thought and a few beginning steps to enter that station, smell the air of departure, and see, waiting on a platform, a train for us to board. There is a Dream Train in all of us….all we have to do is take a ticket.

Dream On,

love, Jennifer Avalon
© 2005 Jennifer Avalon

We all have different brands and types of computers that we use daily…be it a Dell, Hewlett Packard, Apple, etc. We have come to rely greatly on this tool for interaction, expression, and work, yet, the ultimate computer is still the mind.

The computer works within and outside the home. We use cable, DSL, and telephone lines to bounce around the world in seconds. What once was inconceivable a generation ago can now be accomplished at the tap of a finger. The human mind is no different….it pulls and transmits information twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. Using sensors, memory, and experiences, the human mind is by far the greatest laboratory we will ever witness on an individual and collective level. All that we have seen and heard and all that we are is stored in the mind. How we love, hate, fear, embrace, our happiness, sadness, joy, and depression…all interact within the mind.

Let’s imagine for a moment ourselves sitting in front of a vast keyboard, which we use every moment…and placed right above is a sign that flashes “Welcome to the World As You See It.” We tap away on our keyboard, sending out commands on what we want to accomplish and avoid. Like the world of the Internet, there are safety zones, and places of imminent danger. The person behind the controls determines the roads that are traveled, and the pitfalls to avoid. Just like the computer, we too have to install our share of firewalls, spy-ware, anti-virus software, and ad-ware. Our minds, like computers, can just as easily be invaded by an outside, unscrupulous source. Hey, virus worms can do damage everywhere, even in our minds. The ultimate computer (the mind) learns from experience how to update and maintain its anti-virus software, or, fall prey to invasion. The human race, as we all well know, is an interactive network, where good and evil is on full display. Yes I know, deception too can easily confuse an individual, but our experiences and beliefs are what we use to decipher the difference.

So can we ask ourselves, how can the ultimate computer be best served and run at full potential? Only when the Divine is at the controls. For if the ego unchallenged and unsupervised has its way, the greater good cannot be accomplished. The Divine has all our best interests at heart. With life being so temporary, the Divine reminds us that there was life before, now, and after. What we contribute is what we will be remembered for. Each day behind the controls, our hands follow the maps and decide the paths of our consciousness. The closer we are to the Divine, the smoother, clearer, the more open our computer runs. The programs that we choose to govern us can only come from the ego, or the Divine. The Divine sees the greater picture….and the common good of our existence. All that we can be, and must. So is our computer in partnership with the Divine? or the unchallenged ego? That we must decide. The greatest achievements in this world came from a thought. What thoughts we choose to pass along are just a fingertip away.

Peace be with you,
Jennifer Avalon
© 2005 Jennifer Avalon

This week marks the beginning of the ninth year of the website and newsletter. Little did I know back in 1996 that the journey would have lasted this long….but here I am, and it has. Over the years many of you have dropped a line or two expressing how much of a difference the newsletter and my music have made to your lives. It has been my pleasure to e-mail and post the essays to the website, which as of today are a collection of 331 essays, and 73 songs. Each week one can easily find a new essay, new song, or new quote, for free, at either site: jenniferavalon.net, or, aviatorrecords.com. I honestly believe the best is yet to come.

In 1996 I remember being excited if 35 people visited the website each day. Today, easily, 8,000 people visit daily. As technology has grown, I have tried to keep up with the growing trends. This past year we have had to open a new site, jenniferavalon.net, to handle the volume of downloads. With the collapse of the music business model, I decided a year and a half ago to allow my music to be downloaded for free. Thankfully, many of you have purchased CD’s through the website…I am very grateful. Also some, through their gratitude, have graciously donated to the upkeep of both websites. Over the next year, I am going to be actively seeking a sponsor to help me to continue to grow both sites. I fully expect to expand into video and film in the coming year. It’s only a matter of time before movies and short films will be able to be downloaded as easily and as quickly as music. Many have expressed to me their desire to have my essays and songs available in a DVD format….hopefully that can come to fruition soon.

The world has changed much in the past 9 years…God only knows what Planet Earth will be like 9 years from now….I hope to be there with you on this journey through Life. As long as Love and Peace flicker in the human heart, all things are possible.

Thanks again,
love, Jennifer Avalon
© 2005 Jennifer Avalon

As many are aware, the disaster that hit the Gulf Coast of the United States this past week was monumental. As the stories and images unfolded before our ears and eyes we had to keep reminding ourselves that this was coming from a part of the United States, not a Third World country. Yet, lurking right underneath the surface of this tragic disaster is a wake up call for all of us. The people of the Gulf Coast were blasted by a large hurricane that stretched for many miles and wreaked havoc in four states, but it could just as easily have been an earthquake, tsunami, tornado, or terrorist attack. This is a warning for all of us to never forget to smell the coffee.

This Hurricane Katrina was fully expected. The authorities and the folks were completely aware that it was heading for them. The surprise was that no one expected the damage to be so extensive…still, each day as the storm approached, the National Hurricane Center was desperately trying to figure out where the center of the storm would hit. Last year the city of New Orleans dodged a bullet…one of the hurricanes just missed the city. As Hurricane Katrina headed towards New Orleans the levees would only be able to withstand a hit from a Category 3 Hurricane. Katrina was Category 5, until it just reached shore. 80% of New Orleans had heeded the warning to evacuate…yet, I kid you not, the night the storm hit there were Hurricane Parties along Bourbon Street. Many had told the authorities that they would not leave no matter what. Some were too poor to be able to leave…that responsibility fell to the city leadership to come up with a means to evacuate those in need. From what I’ve heard and what I’ve seen, there was a failure on the city, state, and federal levels to comprehend the enormity of devastation this storm could and would deliver. As you can imagine, the political Talking Heads are searching for someone to blame. The first name that always comes to mind for some is President Bush. Perhaps he was a little slow out of the starting blocks, but not as slow as the Mayor of New Orleans and the Governor of Louisiana. If anyone out there thinks that the government is some great “Big Daddy” who is always going to be able to be there immediately to help us and take care of us when we fall down…..smell the coffee!

Since 9/11 there have been multiple articles stating that two events have a greater then 70% chance of happening within the next few years in the United States. One, that the city of New Orleans would be hit badly by a catastrophic hurricane, because of the deficiency of it’s levee system to hold back the water. Number two, is that California will be hit by a massive earthquake. What we have learned is that preparations were not put in place to protect New Orleans. I just hope California has looked at this disaster and prepared for worst case scenarios to protect themselves, if they receive a jolt from nature.

So what are we to learn from all this? I, living here in Massachusetts, have been told that one of the hurricanes this season could head up along the eastern seaboard of the United States and deliver a knock out punch to my state. If Massachusetts does get hit, and we are warned days ahead of time to prepare, it would be irresponsible of me not to stock up on bottled water, flashlights and batteries, canned food, and prepare my house as best as possible. While the authorities or the National Guard may get to me at some point, it is up to me to keep myself as safe as possible until the Calvary arrives. As I care for all of you who read this newsletter, I cannot stress enough that where ever you live, you be prepared for whatever events could pertain to your area, to keep yourself and your loved ones as safe as possible. Yes, there’s always a chance that we may not survive, but at least we did everything we could to place the odds in our favor. Let’s all smell the coffee….

Be safe,
Jennifer Avalon
© 2005 Jennifer Avalon

To me, life is one great field. From the day we are born, we make our way across the field, from one end to the other. All around us are beautiful trees, glorious flowers, and heavenly skies, yet, unfortunately, across the field, some large, some small, are landmines.

As we journey across our field, the first step is to acknowledge the existence of the landmines, and prepare as best we can to avoid them….for to journey across the field of life without taking into account the effects of the landmines can be disastrous. Think to yourself….wouldn’t it be wonderful at the beginning of the field if we could put on a pair of special glasses that would spot out all of the landmines so that we could walk through the field safely? Impossible, you may say? Perhaps….or perhaps not….but the realization of the existence of landmines would help us step carefully.

There are all different kinds of landmines in life…health, financial, violence, and pure old hate. All different shapes and sizes, just waiting for us to place our foot in the wrong location. Sometimes it almost makes one feel that life is a war that each of us fight, and strive to win. Experience and knowledge can help us see these landmines in front of us, but we must never forget, when called upon, there is a spiritual birds-eye-view that can be tapped into to help us through rough terrain. So imagine for a minute yourself journeying across the field of life wearing body armor, full sensor technology, and aerial reconnaissance above, that gives a full picture of what we need to cross the field. In accepting the existence of landmines, and accumulating the knowledge and faith to sidestep them, we not only become better people, but better souls too.

One more point….feel free to exchange stories with others who are crossing the field also. Shared knowledge can always increase the level of survival. Life being a shared experience, over time the correct path through the field can become more pronounced if more succeed. There will always be those who will say to heck with it….I will do what I want, I don’t need anyone. Unfortunately, many times they are the first to become the casualties of the landmines. The field can be crossed….while we may accumulate our scars and bruises along the way, when looking back we will be able to see what we have overcome.

Those who cross the field successfully before us have left a trail. If we are willing to walk the straight and narrow, and abide by the rules to stay on the path, we can make it through intact. The wheel doesn’t have to be re-invented….it just needs to be rolled.

Step wisely,

love, Jennifer Avalon
© 2005 Jennifer Avalon